Don't Let Carpenter Ants Damage Your Florida Home

With spring giving way to summer, we have entered prime ant season. While ants pose a variety of problems for homeowners, most don’t compare to the issues that carpenter ants can cause. Don’t let carpenter ants damage your Florida home this year!

The Problems Carpenter Ants Cause

Carpenter ants are a problem when they get into your home because they like to chew through the wooden structures within your house. While one carpenter ant may not do much damage, once a colony becomes established, the damage can become extensive.

Why Spring and Summer are Active Seasons for Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants typically mate in the spring. They come out in a swarm, find a mate, and start a new colony; this makes spring the most likely time of year for carpenter ants to form new colonies in houses.

Once inside, these ants begin chewing tunnels through your home to make nests and to reproduce. What starts as a small infestation quickly grows. They thrive through the summer months and continue working year-round, creating more significant tunnels until the damage to your home is extensive.

How to Prevent Carpenter Ants From Getting in Your Florida Home

Since carpenter ants are drawn to water and damaged wood, ensuring your home doesn’t have moisture problems will help prevent them from invading. Leaky pipes require immediate repair and water damaged areas should be replaced. Also, ventilate rooms with high humidity and use a dehumidifier if necessary.
 
Outside you should eliminate excess moisture as well. Dripping spigots, clogged gutters, and low spots in your lawn should all be rectified. 
 
If there are areas where wood has direct contact with the soil (for example if a porch post goes directly into the ground), there’s a high likelihood that carpenter ants will be attracted to that area.
 
Making sure that all entry points into your home are sealed off will make it much more difficult for carpenter ants to get inside. Seal cracks in your foundation, repair holes in the siding, caulk gaps around windows and doors and fix any tears in your window screens.
 
Finally, a professional pest control service is the most effective way to prevent carpenter ants from damaging your Florida home. Whether you have a current infestation or you want to avoid a problem before it begins, Lindsey Pest Services can help. Our carpenter ant control will keep your home protected. Contact us to learn more.